Regina
by xSlytherclaWx
Summary: Oneshot. Regina Montague was always a true Slytherin...her whole family had been... Companion to In The Life of Skye Black. Spoilers


_**Regina**_

_**A One-Shot**_

_**By NarnianAslan**_

_**Author's Note:**__ Okay, this is a bit of a companion for __**Skye**__… and it's about Regina Montague, the Slytherin from chapter three. There's a bit of background in the very beginning._

**XxX**

**xFlashbackx**

_Meissa Montague was a lot of things, but Death Eater she was not. She never understood why Bella, Severus, and Regulus had done it. Rosalie Sewick had been smart enough to leave for Russia before this whole thing snowballed. She could remember what her best friend had said._

"_Issa, he's acting like Hitler. My dad told me about him. He went mad and tried to take over the world. The Dark Lord will end up the same. I'm pureblood, sure. But I don't follow anyone. You'd do well to listen to me."_

_Meissa, of course, hadn't. Her stupid Gryffindork sister was staying. She wasn't about to be called out for cowardice. There was that Ravenclaw, Lizzy Prewett. Hadn't she been friends with Regulus, Severus, and Rosalie? Yet she still befriended Gryffindorks. Maybe she wasn't Prewett anymore. Wasn't she married right after she graduated? To that Poe bloke. Then her brothers died._

_Fabian and Gideon Prewett. So she stayed near her sister and brother-in-law. Molly Weasley was always an emotional wreck wasn't she? It didn't matter. Lizzy and Poe had moved to Scotland._

_Meissa had heard stories, about what Bella and her brother-in-law Lucius were doing. Torture. Well, Meissa was set not to end up rotting away in Azkaban._

_But Regulus –how could she be angry with him? They'd been best friends since childhood. They came from respectable, pure-blooded families. They had been arranged for marriage. It was set for right after Meissa turned eighteen. Their parents, of course, had been delighted when this arrangement was made. It was Christmas when she was sixteen. Regulus's brother had left over a year before, and his parents were set that Regulus would keep up the pureblood line of the House of Black._

_Of course, Regulus and Meissa would never end up like Bellatrix and her husband Rudolphus. Bella and Rudolphus didn't even like each other; Regulus and Meissa loved each other, Meissa knew it._

_So, when Mrs. Black, accompanied by Cissy and Kreacher –Cissy was always her favorite- came round, she knew something was wrong. She was right, of course. They'd told her that Regulus had died. Narcissa looked nervous._

"_Narcissa, whatever is with you?" Mrs. Black had complained._

"_I need to talk to Issa alone, Aunt Walburga."_

_Mrs. Black had rolled her eyes. "Very well."_

_Alone, Narcissa had confronted Meissa. "Issa, there's something wrong here."_

"_Regulus is dead, Cissy."_

"_I know, and I couldn't imagine if it was Lucius instead, but there's something more, Issa. Tell me."_

"_I –Regulus and I, well, you realize I was trying to push the marriage. Reg was so confused…"_

"_Meissa, you're not pregnant?"_

_Meissa bit her lip._

"_Issa, I'll help you. All right? You can stay with Lucius and I until you're ready to leave."_

"_Thanks, Cissy."_

**xEndxFlashbackx**

**XxX**

**Regina POV**

**XxX**

I don't look remotely like my mother. I don't have red hair that looks like liquid fire, or hazel eyes. I have hair that's jet-black, even though in the sunlight you can see red tones, and stormy grey eyes.

I was Slytherin to the core. Mother and Aunt Cissy were saying how proud they were, always. Draco was a close friend, but he was a boy, a year younger than I was.

I didn't know anything about my father. Well, aside from the fact that he'd died before I had been born, when he was just-turned eighteen.

I didn't know anything about that side of my family, save that Aunt Cissy was my father's cousin.

But, due to the arguments I always got into with those blood traitor Weasley twins, I'd learned to take my prefect patrol near the kitchens.

However, tonight, Draco wanted that patrol. I'd allowed it. After all, this was his first year as a prefect.

I didn't think I would run into a Weasley twin. Let alone save his arse.

Yet I did.

I heard laughing, a sure sign of a Gryffindork. Then Professor Snape.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Black, what, pray tell, is so comical that you're laughing loud enough to wake the castle.

I stepped out of the shadows. "It was me, Professor. I'm sorry. I told a joke, and they couldn't stop laughing." I gave him a grin, silently praying he wouldn't tell Mother or Aunt Cissy or Uncle Lucius or even Draco.

He gave me a look. "Very well. Miss Montague, you're a prefect, I suspect you can lead Mr. Weasley and Miss Black to the vicinity of Gryffindor Tower?"

He wasn't going to tell. But I was going to have to talk to him. "Of course Professor."

Professor Snape walked away.

Weasley turned to me. "Bloody hell, Montague, we didn't need_ your_ saving!"

"From how it looked, you did. Trust me; I'm not too keen on saving two Gryffindorks from detention."

"Who are you?" the girl asked. She had black hair, like me, but clear, sky-blue eyes.

"Sorry," Weasley said haughtily, "Skye, this is Montague. Montague, Skye."

"My name's Regina Anastasia Montague, thanks, Weasel."

"Hold on-" Skye Black stopped. "Anastasia Montague?"

I rolled my eyes, and began walking again. "That's what I said."

She looked at me. "Who was your mum?"

"Not that it's your business, Blood Traitor, but Meissa Montague." I assumed, since she was with a Weasley, and that Draco complained about her, she was a blood traitor.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. Why?" I was curious. I normally wouldn't talk to blood traitors unless they had information I didn't. And this one certainly did.

"Skye, what the-?" Weasel asked.

"You're my cousin. Directly. My mum, she's Anastasia Montague. Or she was, before she married my dad."

So this girl's mother was Mother's blood traitor of a sister… interesting.

"Skye, I thought your mum's name was Aza…" Weasel started.

"That's only her nickname. She hates her real name." She turned back to me. "Who's your dad?"

"I don't know. He died before I was born. He was only just eighteen."

"Really?" Black asked. "Ha…"

"Was your dad a Death Eater?" Weasley asked.

"I don't bloody know! I don't get why I'm talking to you."

"Blood is thicker than water." Great, now Black was sounding like a Weasley.

"What's that mean?" I asked, angry.

"That you're curious about your father, and, seeing as I look so much like you, you wonder how much I know."

"You've been hanging around that Hermione Granger too much." I didn't say Mudblood.

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"Later, Gryffindorks. If you tell anyone I just had a conversation with Blood Traitors…" I muttered as I walked off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Weasel grab his wand. Then Black started whispering something to him.

I ignored them. When I got back to the dungeons, Professor Snape asked to see me.

"Regina, in the seventeen years I've known you, you've never seemed the type to help Blood Traitors. May I ask why you did so tonight?"

"Only if you don't tell Mother, Aunt Cissy, Uncle Lucius, Draco, or anyone else."

"Very well."

"That girl, Black, looks like me. I don't look like my mother, Professor. It's obvious, if you look at my mother, and then me, that I look like my father."

"Skylar Black's father was a pompous fool, forever complaining about his life, you know he's not your own father, surely?"

"Oh I was sure of that, Sir. But I think I'm going to spend some time in the Library." I turned to leave.

"Tojours Pur," he muttered. "Be sure not to follow your Aunt Narcissa or your mother's example. Pure Blood isn't everything."

I turned around. "What do you mean by that Professor?"

"Don't end yourself up in Azkaban by doing something you'll regret. One slip of the tongue can ruin your life. Be sure to remember that."

"I will, Professor." I left.

I was sure Professor Snape wasn't talking about me when he said that. I'd have to ask Mother's sometimes-friend Elizabeth Poe about that. She knew things about people.

**XxX**

"Montague, what do you want?" Annabel Poe asked. Typical Ravenclaw. Straight to the point.

"Information."

"I'm listening."

"Professor Snape," I whispered. "I think, I _think _he was in love with a Mudblood."

"Language, Montague," Poe reminded me. "But I'll see what I can do."

I rolled my eyes.

"And Montague-?" Poe made me turn around, "You might want to tell Skye Black and Fred Weasley when Malfoy gets up."

"Right," I muttered. I suppose, to her, it seemed I owed Black for that information about my father. And Poe was an accomplished Legimens at fourteen. I couldn't afford not to.

**XxX**

I sent a quick note to Weasel when Draco got up. My script was elegant. Not like my mothers curvy, Edwardian script, but carefully elegant. Then, I followed Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy into the Great Hall.

Weasel, of course, was down there with his twin and Black. The Mudblood Granger was there, and that Blood Traitor Emily girl. Annabel Poe was writing something. The hyper camera Creevey Mudblood came bounding in, taking pictures of Draco. Then that Mudblood Thomas came down, trying to draw Draco.

Honestly, Draco's nearly my brother, but this was too amusing not to smile just a bit.

The next day, Draco was still angry that he needed to buy something from Weasel Squared to get rid of his… appearance. So he didn't want to buy it. But Pansy insisted that he had to, as it was the day of the ball.

So Draco grudgingly handed Fred Weasley ninety galleons, and Weasel handed over the soap. Sure enough, it worked. Pansy was glad that he looked normal again, and I'm guessing Fred and George Weasley were glad for an extra sixty-one galleons than they normally got.

I was going to the ball with Johnny Calvert, a boy in my year.

I guess I should get this straight. I don't hate Mudbloods, or Half-Bloods, or Blood Traitors for their birth and beliefs. But, when they have hostility towards me, I have hostility right back.

Mother's said more than once that I'm exceedingly like my father. She hardly ever talks about him, so I don't know which traits I've inherited from him. I've inherited his looks, that much is obvious.

My mother and I are hardly anything alike. Professor Snape told me what she was like at Hogwarts: never without a thick textbook, brilliant at every subject; but cruel, vain, self-centered, and prejudiced. I barely read, though I am brilliant at most subjects; I act cruel, but I don't think I really am. I _am_ fairly self-centered, but I'm not at all narcissistic. My mother treats anything below her with the utmost cruelty, but I've got a soft spot for House Elves and other, lesser, creatures.

So, really, I'm left to imagine about my father.

I really wonder what Black has on me…or him, rather.

"Gina!" A voice made me jump. I spun around to find Josh McAllister.

"What?"

"Lilith said that the third-years are planning on putting mistletoe all over the place."

"Whatever, McAllister. Just never call me Gina again," I growled. I doubted that the third years would be _that_ stupid.

"Gina."

"Shut it."

"Fine, I was just trying to get a rise outta you. It worked!" He smiled.

I rolled my eyes. "What girl in her right mind fancies you?"

"Every girl. Except for you. But you're not normal."

"Coming from you, thanks."

"But how could they resist? I'm cunning, smart, charming, and incredibly handsome. Look at me! Beautiful brown hair and sparkling blue eyes… I wouldn't be able to resist myself!"

"You're also egotistical…"

Josh smiled. "Yeah, so?"

"And shallow."

"I am _not_ shallow!"

"You sound so sure…"

"I _am _sure! Why do you call me shallow?" Josh was confused. I had no idea why.

"Look, get a long-term relationship and I might think about you differently."

"Maybe I will!"

"And not just to prove that you're not shallow."

"Fine," he grinned. "Time for the ball."

**XxX**

Homecoming Havoc was performing. I knew that before I'd walked into the ball, thanks to Annabel Poe. Then she ran off to tell one of the Weasel twins and the brunette on his arm, who got excited.

"You won't believe what I've heard about Gerard Rush," Johnny drawled in a whisper.

"Hmm?"

"He's been in America all this time, living like a Muggle."

"Plenty of people do, Johnny. It's their prerogative. Besides that, their music is phenomenal."

"Even so, it's a bit funny. I mean, he's one of the most famous musicians in the Wizarding world…"

My short temper was about to wear out, and I tried to keep my head. "Maybe that's why. Being recognized everywhere you go would be exceedingly eerie."

"Be glad you're not a Black, then," Johnny continued. "_Everyone_ knows who the Blacks are. The elite. The so-called-royals. Shame they died out. The last male Black died, and his elder brother was disowned, rightfully so."

I rolled my eyes. I think Johnny was worse with his blood prejudice than Draco was, which is a difficult feat. "Really, are you going to join the Death Eaters, then?"

"If they'll have me, of course."

I was getting angry, yet I had no idea why. Aunt Narcissa's husband was a Death Eater, and her sister was too, so was Professor Snape. Draco wanted to be one when he turned seventeen. I honestly didn't care if Johnny were to die. I was on a pity-date, and I was plotting to ditch him by the end of the night.

"Wouldn't you?"

I took a deep breath. I had to stay calm. "No. Never. I value my soul far too much to be lowered to murder."

Shit. Wrong thing to say. Damn it!

"It's purification, Regina. We're saving the world from the Muggles. They've forced us into hiding for too long."

I laughed dryly. "Purification? Forced? Really, Calvert, you need to get out more."

"Don't tell me you _like_ Muggles."

"No. But it's murder. And I think we could come out of hiding any time we want to, really. They'd only annoy us with pleads for help. Not burn us."

"How do you know that? It's not murder. It's helping Wizardkind."

I was about to snap. If I had to hear one more of his comments,_ I'd_ be disowned. "Look. I'm not going to have this conversation. If you want to fuck up your own life, go ahead."

"I'm going to be a hero, Montague, and you don't care? I won't 'fuck up my life.'"

"You know what?" I began evenly, darkly. Dangerously. "If you join the Death Eaters, you're going to die. And when you do, I'll laugh my fucking ass off!"

"I'll die a hero."

"You'll die a twisted, sick person who everyone's abandoned. And as I've said; I'll laugh." With that I walked away from him and towards the drinks.

Josh's sister, Lilith, was standing there.

"What's got you so worked up, Regina?"

I ignored the fact that she was calling me by my first name. "Johnny Calvert."

"Ah. The ass of a murderer. Oh, sorry, Death-Eater-wannabe."

She didn't seem to consider that I would take that as an insult. And I didn't.

"You don't deny it," she pointed out.

"It's true, isn't it? That's his aim."

"Yet you came to the ball with him."

"Pity-date."

"You know, I could think of at least three other guys who would've gone to this stupid ball with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're an outcast, aren't you?"

I was caught off-guard. "Why would you say that?"

"Because. You're obviously not like them. Malfoy and the other Slytherins. The fact that you're a Slytherin keeps Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs away from you. Thus making you an outcast."

I had to hand it to her: she was analytical; and, sadly, correct. "I'm not an outcast. I've got friends. Melania De la Muerte, for example."

"Is she really your friend, or your friend merely because you're a Pureblooded Slytherin?"

"She- why am I talking to you?"

Lilith shrugged. "I don't know. But the fact stands that you are."

"Melania, I don't know, she's so temperamental."

"She's ridiculously blood-prejudiced."

"How do you know that for a fact?" I asked.

"Josh told me. He's not blood-prejudiced you know. Just haughty."

"I know."

"I bet you he would have gone to the ball with you."

"Wha-? No, I don't think so."

Lilith looked over to where he was dancing with his date. "I think he would have. He doesn't like Whitney Peters too much. He only did it as a favor for her brother, Edward."

"He tells you this sort of stuff?"

"Of course. He couldn't tell many other Slytherins, could he? Maybe you, but that's it. Everyone else would have it around the school and back twice within a day. I'm only telling you because I think you should know. You're not so alone."

"Alone?" I repeated.

"You're smart, but you put on a ridiculous façade. You act tough and haughty, but you care about people and other creatures, and you're not haughty, once you get to know you. Josh is about the same. He'll kill me if he knows I said that."

"He shouldn't, you know, I mean, people should get to see the good side of him."

"As I've said, he's not too different from you." She walked away, leaving me dumbstruck. Josh came to the refreshments table only moments later.

"What in the name of _Merlin_ has my sister been telling you?"

I jumped, a little startled.

"You okay, Gina?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you say that I have any real friends?"

He looked at me for a couple of seconds. "That's hard to say. I know Malfoy doesn't, and Whitney doesn't…"

"Do you?"

"As ridiculous as this may sound… Lilith. But it'd be a fair shot to say she's the only one…"

"Seriously?" I asked. Maybe Lilith was right.

"Yeah. Gina, a real friend is someone you can tell anything to… they're really hard to find. I reckon that Harry Potter and his two friends can tell each other anything, and I bet even Luna Lovegood can tell Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom anything."

"How d'you know all of their names?"

"I just… do. I pay attention to things. And maybe I've been sent to the Hospital Wing more times than I should have…"

I laughed. "You can be funny when you want, you know that, McAllister?"

He shrugged. "Call me Josh, all right? A surname basis makes it sound like you hate me. Wait, you don't hate me, right?"

"No, I don't hate you. But you really can be funny when you want to be."

"I can? Cool! Anyway, Lilith's a good person to talk to. She won't lie to you, and she won't tell anyone anything you say, at least, I hope not, because I've told her things that would get me killed. And you could talk to me if you want. I won't tell anyone."

"I'll keep that in mind. So where's Whitney?"

"She went off to drool over some guy. I really don't care, honestly. I only came with her because I owed her brother… Edward Peters. What about your date?" He wasn't prying, I knew it.

"Calvert? I ditched him. He was pissing me off; going on about how he'll be hero… he's ridiculously close-minded."

"Oh, with his 'purification'? Gina, if you ever bother going into the Muggle world, get some money and go buy a book on World War II, or the Holocaust, or Adolf Hitler, okay?"

"Sure," I said.

"Promise? Because it's foreshadowing."

"Yes, I promise…"

"Also promise that if you ever get to Ottery St. Catchpole that you'll come and visit me and Lilith?"

"All right," I agreed

"Can I tell you something?" he asked. He was completely serious.

"Yeah, you wanna sit down somewhere?"

"That'd be good."

We sat apart from the crowd, I was sure Josh didn't want to be overheard.

"Gina, I think that this whole blood-prejudice thing is stupid."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I know that you do, too. Why else would you have ditched Calvert. Don't worry," he added, "I won't hold it over you as blackmail or anything. But, when I got sorted, you know how long that took?"

"I was right after you; of course I know how long that took."

"The Hat wanted to put me into Gryffindor."

"Why didn't you let it?"

He sighed. "I swear, I've never told anyone this. Ever. If you tell anyone…"

"I won't."

"There was this really pretty girl I'd seen on the train. She was telling all of her friends that she wanted to be in Slytherin. Gina, my whole family's pretty much been in Ravenclaw. I have an uncle who was in Gryffindor, but I'm the first one in my family to be sorted into Slytherin in over fifty years."

"Wow, Josh, that's…"

"I know. It's not exactly easy, either… Ravenclaws, they've got a chance, I mean, they can talk to whoever they want and not get criticized for it. But a Slytherin, you know how it is. But this girl was so pretty, and smart, and she was really brave. She was going to be in Slytherin, I hadn't even spoken to her, but I knew it. She was determined to be a Slytherin, her whole family had been. So I told the Sorting Hat that I wanted to be in Slytherin. She would never have spoken to me if I'd been a Gryffindor, and probably not if I was a Ravenclaw… I wanted to be a Slytherin."

"Josh that's so sweet, I didn't know you were capable of that."

He gave me a half-smile. I'd never_ ever_ seen this side of him. He'd always been annoying and egotistical, but maybe Lilith was right. "The Hat tried to talk me out of it. I was so cut for Gryffindor. I was brave, chivalrous, daring, and I had a lot of nerve. Then it tried to put me into Ravenclaw. Said I was smart, witty, studious, I loved reading enough, so why not give Ravenclaw a try. I said no, Gina, I didn't want to be in Ravenclaw. I really wanted to talk to that girl. I knew she wouldn't put up with anyone from any other House."

I couldn't say anything. If he was telling the truth, what he'd done was so sweet, but so naïve and stupid. I wasn't much of a Legimens, but I knew enough to get something very vague, and what I got was that he really _was_ telling the truth.

"I said no to any chance I had at being accepted by other people, any chance I had at having real friends. I said no to any chance I had of my family being proud of me. I hate House prejudice, Gina, but all of my family can't stand the fact that I'm in Slytherin. Some of my cousins even stopped _talking_ to me. But then, I didn't care… I wanted to talk to that girl… I had to. She'd already snapped at the Weasley twins, insulting them. I really… you swear none of this will be repeated?"

"Absolutely." In all honesty, I didn't like that he was telling me about this girl. But I wasn't jealous of her, I swear I wasn't.

"I really liked her. She was so… perfect. She had imperfections, but I don't think I've ever, to this day, liked anyone this much."

Okay, so maybe I _was _jealous of her… what am I saying? Why would I be jealous of someone Josh McAllister has fancied since he was eleven? Josh was so egotistical, and… no. I was _not_ going to let myself think that Josh McAllister was hot. He was annoying and… I was jealous. There, I've said it. But just because I was jealous _did not _mean that I fancied Josh McAllister…

"So the Hat put me in Slytherin. It said that I was determined and I had a desire to prove myself. You and I both know how true that is."

I nodded mutely.

"She hadn't been Sorted yet, and I'll admit, I was nervous. But she became a Slytherin. I finally got to talk to her. Over the next six years, I'd noticed that she acted most of the time, she didn't mean a lot of what she said, but she had family expectations to hold up. I still liked her, though, because I saw through all of that. Maybe I should have been a Ravenclaw. I'm perceptive and analytical, I know that. But I still think that she wouldn't have put up with me if I had been in another House. What do you think?"

"Well," I began, wait, _why _was my voice hoarse? Damn. I cleared my throat. "I think that you're really dedicated… that's obvious. But why wouldn't she have spoken to you if you were in Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor, that's just… stupid. I mean, if you were a Ravenclaw, you would probably have truer friends, and you probably wouldn't act so egotistical… you'd be a lot more likeable if you hadn't been a Slytherin…"

"I knew you'd say that. But if I_ was _a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor, don't you think she'd have immediately dismissed me as being… I mean, do you think she would have even thought to talk to me?"

"No… but you could have spoken to her… then again, she might have ignored you or insulted you."

"That's exactly what I thought. I don't like being in Slytherin, Gina. I hate it. I _hate _it. Every day I ask myself why didn't I let myself get Sorted into another House… but then I realize that she wouldn't have even given me a second glance, and that, I think would have been worse than faking my way through the past six years. I don't care that I can really only talk to Lola, and now, you. I don't care that no one's anyone's friend in this House. I don't care how sick and pathetic it is, because she talks to me. It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"

"No, it sounds so sweet."

"Do you know why I haven't had a long-term relationship, ever?"

"You keep thinking about her?" I guessed. I didn't fancy Josh. No way in hell did I fancy Josh.

"Yeah. I can't help it, either. I've tried to stop thinking about her… but everything reminds me of her."

"You sound like you're in love with her."

"I don't know if I am… I mean, I'm only seventeen… I don't think I'd know yet. But it's pretty sad, how I've screwed up my whole life just so I could talk to her. Not many people like Slytherins, it doesn't matter if you're graduated or not… I think it's worth it, though."

It was so sweet. "Does she know that you feel that way about her?"

Josh buried his head in his hands. "I don't know… probably not. But, she's so… I can't tell her. Not yet."

"I would tell her… probably before next term starts; that'd give you the whole summer…"

"I'm not sure I could…"

"You realize that if you don't tell her by graduation that: one, she might not be able to give you a chance; two, she might have found someone else; or three, you might lose touch with her, and you'll have missed your chance. And I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but, it's true, and if you really like her that much, you need to tell her before you graduate."

"I know." Was he _whining_?

"Do you want to know something?" I asked. Josh raised his head to look at me.

"If it'll take my mind off of this temporarily, yes."

"I never knew my father. He died before I was born, he was eighteen. My mother won't tell me anything about him."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I know that Professor Snape, Skye Black, and possibly Annabel Poe know who he is, but none of them would tell me. I want to know about him. I know he wasn't sick or anything… it was unexpected, but, he was a pureblood, that's the only information anyone's seen fit to give me. Like that even matters."

"Have Snape, Skye, or Annabel alluded to anything?" Josh asked.

"I don't know… I know I'm related to Black, our mothers were sisters. I'm sure both of our mothers deny it, though. Her mother was disowned; she ran away. I'm starting to think she was smarter than my mother in that respect. But Skye Black has not alluded to anything, no."

"Annabel?"

"No. She's… she wants blackmail before she discloses any information. She's careful about that."

"Snape?"

I thought for a minute. "Actually, a few nights ago, I caught Black and one of the Weasley twins sneaking back to Gryffindor, laughing. Long story short: I helped them out, and Snape wanted to talk to me. He said… let me think… not to follow in my mother's example, that Pure blood isn't everything… not to end myself up in Azkaban… he said something before that, it wasn't in English… something-pure…"

"Tojours Pur?" Josh asked.

"That might have been it… I think it was. Why, what does Tojours Pur mean?"

"I got bored, so I decided to look in some records and books to try and find all the big Pureblood families, to try and disprove some people, you know?"

"Yeah," I said slowly.

"Well, one of the biggest Pureblood families had a motto: Toujours Pur. It's French, and it means 'Always Pure', referring to blood-purity. They've had their fair share of Squibs, though, so I don't get it… anyway, they're, believe it or not, related to some of the worst Death Eaters. Bellatrix, Rudolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange, Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy… oh yeah, the lot of them. Anyway, the last few of them… there were three sisters, the oldest was Bellatrix Lestrange, the middle sister was disowned, and the youngest was Narcissa Malfoy. They had cousins, I think…"

"Who?" One of those cousins _had_ to have been my father… Aunt Cissy's cousin.

"One of them got disowned, the other one… he's dead, I think. I have to look it up again. I forget the family name, though… If I remembered it, I'd tell you… but that was a year or so ago."

"Would you really look it up again?" I asked; there were countless numbers of books in the library.

"Sure. We've only got a week here, but I can ask around Ottery…"

"You'd do that?"

He smiled. "I've already said yes, Gina."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed as I hugged him.

"It's no big deal."

"Yes it is! I can't do anything at home, you don't understand! I think _Draco_ is less shielded than I am."

"Glad I could make your day, then."

"You probably made my _year_ at least."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "One condition, though. I'll probably need your help. Do you think that you could spend the summer with Lola and me?"

"Seriously? That'd be so much better than at home. It's so _boring_."

"Then it's agreed. You spend the summer being tortured by Lola, and you and I will research about your dad."

Okay, so maybe I did like Josh. But only a little bit.

**XxX**

_**Author's Note:**__ Okay, I didn't mean for it to be (checks word count) 5,242 words… I'd say this is the longest chapter/oneshot I've ever written. I've still got to revise, but then it'll be up. And maybe I'll write a sequel or a oneshot on Josh… but this is prolly gonna be a series of oneshots… I'm working on one about Matt Rush, too (don't know who he is? Read _In The Life of Skye Black_…) and _SKYE_ and_ Truth or Dare_ and_ Disenchanted_. So I wouldn't be surprised if I post this a week from now._

_Review. It helps me with updates… On other stories, obviously. But you can yell at me, call me names, or tell me how great I am. I want feedback is all. So Review!_


End file.
